Skip to content
MovieCove
The Girlfriend

The Girlfriend

There are two sides to every story.

2025Miniseries1 season6 episodes~50 min/epTV-MAMidcredits score: 61st percentile of all shows

Laura has it all: a glittering career, a loving husband, and her precious son, Daniel. But her perfect life unravels when Daniel brings home Cherry, a girlfriend who changes everything. After a tense introduction, Laura becomes convinced Cherry is hiding something. Is she a manipulative social climber, or is Laura just paranoid? The truth is a matter of perspective.

Your rating, lists and review

Where to watch

Where can I watch The Girlfriend?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists The Girlfriend streaming on Prime Video.

Subscription

Free

Highlights

What stands out about The Girlfriend?

The Girlfriend earns 4 badges, led by Standout acting and Crowd Pleaser.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood

Reception

Is The Girlfriend worth watching?

The Girlfriend's Midcredits score is the 61st percentile of all shows, from 58K ratings across 6 sources. 78% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

61st percentile

Better received than 61% of shows

59th percentile among Drama66th percentile among 2020s
Acclaim (how much people like it)53rd
Approval (how many liked it)67th

Acclaim

Crowd Pleaser: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

71 /100

53rd percentile of all shows

52nd percentile among Drama58th percentile among 2020s

Critics 70 · Audience 71

Critics and audiences broadly agree.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 7.2 — solid but not unanimous.

Approval

How many liked it

78% liked it

67th percentile of all shows

63rd percentile among Drama72nd percentile among 2020s
78% rated it 7–1022% rated it 1–6

Critics 88% · Audience 72%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of critics approved than audiences.

Reach

How many have seen it

93rd percentile

58K ratings across platforms

91st percentile among Drama94th percentile among 2020s
TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Up 11% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

It's a glossy, addictive domestic thriller centered on two warring women — one the possessive mother, the other the enigmatic girlfriend — and the men caught between them.

Fans praised

  • dual-perspective narration keeps the mystery alive
  • Olivia Cooke's magnetic, layered performance as Cherry
  • Robin Wright's icy precision as the possessive mother

Detractors panned

  • doctor son fails to attempt CPR on his mother — logic-breaking
  • ending feels rushed, unsatisfying, and full of plot holes
  • supporting characters are one-dimensional narrative props

What stands out

ActingDivisive85

Robin Wright and Olivia Cooke deliver magnetic, career-best performances

Cinematography80

lush visuals from rainy London to sunny Spain

TensionDivisive70

dual-perspective creates effective uncertainty and suspense

PacingDivisive65

first half tightly paced, loses momentum in final episodes

CharactersDivisive60

Cherry and Laura are compelling but secondary characters feel like props

Plot and storyDivisive45

engaging setup undermined by an implausible final episode

Sound and musicDivisive45

polarizing soundtrack: some find it mood-shaping, others intrusive and mismatched

Ending20

widely criticized for being illogical, rushed, and deeply unsatisfying

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 10 points higher than women.

US vs non-US

Preferred by Non-US Viewers

Non-US viewers scored it 11 points higher than US viewers.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Under-30s vs over-30s 3 points apart

Episodes

1 season

Miniseries · 2025 · 6 episodes · 6.5 average across 6 rated episodes

  • S1E1

    Episode 1

    Sep 10, 202552 minTMDB rating 7.2Season best
  • S1E2

    Episode 2

    Sep 10, 202550 minTMDB rating 7.1
  • S1E3

    Episode 3

    Sep 10, 202545 minTMDB rating 7.1
  • S1E4

    Episode 4

    Sep 10, 202548 minTMDB rating 6.2
  • S1E5

    Episode 5

    Sep 10, 202551 minTMDB rating 5.6
  • S1E6

    Episode 6

    Sep 10, 202552 minTMDB rating 5.5Finale

Watch experience

What is The Girlfriend like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Earnest, dark and intense — an even-paced watch that leaves you unsettled.

ToneFeelDemandexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

What it feels like

Moods
TenseDreadMelancholic
Heaviest: middle
Register
Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.Melodramatic · 9% of shows: Heightened emotion, played large.
Told as
Multiple perspectives · 2% of shows: The same events retold from different characters' points of view.SerializedSingle-season story
ToneThe series begins with a light comedic edge but quickly pivots to a dark, earnest psychological thriller played completely straight.
The rideThe synopsis suggests a slow-burn build into paranoia, with dread intensifying before a potential climax.
StructureThe story alternates between Laura's and Cherry's points of view to build suspense and ambiguity.
Episode formatThe synopsis describes a single continuous story of Laura's deteriorating state, suggesting episodes are chapters in one arc.
Season formatThe series is a concluded limited series, with one season telling a complete story.

How it leaves you

what you carry away
UnsettlingInfuriating · 4% of shows: Leaves you angry at an injustice the film shows, never at the film.
Why it leaves you this wayThe disturbing psychological tension and an unsatisfying, illogical ending leave a lingering unease and frustration.
How it ends · evidence
Ambiguous ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all shows
Monster — 18% of shows. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of shows. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 6% of shows. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 2% of shows. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 12% of shows. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 4% of shows. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 7% of shows. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 8% of shows. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 40% of showsPredator — 7% of shows. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 3% of shows. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of shows. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 3% of shows. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of shows. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of shows. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of shows. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of shows. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of shows. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of shows. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — 1% of shows. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of shows. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of shows. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of shows. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of shows. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 2% of shows. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 4% of shows. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of shows. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — under 1% of shows. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of shows. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 1% of shows. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — under 1% of shows. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of shows. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — under 1% of shows. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 2% of shows. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of shows. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of shows. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of shows. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 2% of shows. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of shows. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — under 1% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 1% of shows. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 1% of shows. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 1% of shows. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 1% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 3% of shows. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of shows. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 1% of shows. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of shows. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 6% of shows. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 1% of shows. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Tragedy
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 18%: Predator 7% · Tyrant 3% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 3% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 6%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 2% · Mission 4% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage under 1%
  • Voyage 2%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 1% · Survival ordeal under 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent under 1%
  • Comedy 12%: Romantic comedy 2% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 2%
  • Tragedy 4% (this title): Hubris 1% · Obsession under 1% (this title) · Corruption arc 1% · Doomed love 1% · Crushed by fate 1%
  • Rebirth 7%: Redemption 1% · Healing 3% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 1%
  • Mystery 8%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 6% · Enigma 1%
  • No archetype 40%

Tragedy: A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin. · Obsession: A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).

4% of shows fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeLaura's obsessive protection of her son drives her to investigate Cherry, leading to her own downfall in a tragedy of fixation.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 31% of showsSelf — 27% of showsPower — 7% of showsMorality — 11% of showsSurvival — 9% of showsSociety — 10% of showsIdeas — 5% of showsRomantic love — 10% of showsMarriage — 2% of showsFamily bonds — 22% of showsParenthood — 1% of showsFriendship — 18% of showsLoyalty — 7% of showsIdentity — 20% of showsComing of age — 9% of showsAging — under 1% of showsSelf-worth — 7% of showsAmbition — 14% of showsPurpose — 16% of showsMemory — 3% of showsObsession — 2% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 5% of showsCorruption — 3% of showsGreed — 2% of showsClass — 4% of showsOppression — 2% of showsFreedom — 4% of showsJustice — 14% of showsDuty — 2% of showsRevenge — 1% of showsGuilt — 1% of showsRedemption — 3% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — under 1% of showsSacrifice — 2% of showsBetrayal — 3% of showsDeception — 6% of showsSurvival — 12% of showsWar — 1% of showsViolence — 2% of showsMortality — 2% of showsGrief — 4% of showsTrauma — 5% of showsMental illness — under 1% of showsAddiction — under 1% of showsIllness and disability — under 1% of showsCommunity — 25% of shows. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 3% of showsPrejudice — 2% of showsDisplacement — 1% of showsFaith — 1% of showsTradition vs change — 3% of showsFame — 5% of showsLegacy — 3% of showsFate — 1% of showsFree will — under 1% of showsTruth — 6% of showsHope — 4% of showsNature — 3% of showsArt — 2% of showsTechnology — 1% of showsSelfObsession
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 31%: Romantic love 10% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 22% (this title) · Parenthood 1% · Friendship 18% · Loyalty 7%
  • Self 27% (this title): Identity 20% · Coming of age 9% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 14% · Purpose 16% · Memory 3% · Obsession 2% (this title)
  • Power 7%: Power 5% · Corruption 3% · Greed 2% · Class 4% · Oppression 2% · Freedom 4%
  • Morality 11%: Justice 14% · Duty 2% · Revenge 1% · Guilt 1% · Redemption 3% · Forgiveness under 1% · Sacrifice 2% · Betrayal 3% · Deception 6%
  • Survival 9%: Survival 12% · War 1% · Violence 2% · Mortality 2% · Grief 4% · Trauma 5% · Mental illness under 1% · Addiction under 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 10%: Community 25% · Isolation 3% · Prejudice 2% · Displacement 1% · Faith 1% · Tradition vs change 3% · Fame 5% · Legacy 3%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 6% · Hope 4% · Nature 3% · Art 2% · Technology 1%

Self

Obsession · 2% of showsFamily bonds
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe series examines how a mother's obsessive love for her son, rooted in a desire to protect him, becomes destructive and consumes her.
StanceThe film questions whether Laura's actions are justified or paranoid, refusing a clear moral answer.

The world

ContemporarySuburbanDomesticRealistic
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score
SettingAn upper-middle-class British suburb where the drama unfolds in and around family homes.
MusicExpected to underpin the suspense with dark, atmospheric strings.

Content guide

Is The Girlfriend okay for kids?

TV-MA

The Girlfriend is rated TV-MA. As of August 19, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (57/100), sexual content at moderate (60/100), language at intense (68/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (41/100) and frightening material at moderate (52/100). Overall it is heavier than 34% of TV-MA shows.

Ratings in 9 other countries
  • UK15
  • AustraliaMA 15+
  • Brazil16
  • Netherlands12
  • PRTV-MA
  • RO15
  • SingaporeM18
  • Spain16
  • VITV-MA
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 61% of all showsHeavier than 34% of TV-MA shows
Violence & Gore
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for a TV-MA show
heavier than 38%
Sex & Nudity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for a TV-MA show
heavier than 63%
Profanity
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for a TV-MA show
heavier than 52%
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
typical for a TV-MA show
heavier than 30%
Frightening / Intense
Moderate
typical for a TV-MA show
heavier than 40%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is language. Everything else sits at or below what TV-MA shows usually carry.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other shows that have them.

What content warnings does The Girlfriend have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in The Girlfriend?

Cast

2 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Robin Wright
as Laura
Established: A standing when this show came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Olivia Cooke
as Cherry
Established: A standing when this show came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Laurie Davidson
as Daniel
Waleed Zuaiter
as Howard
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Francesca Corney
as Millie De Polignac
Simon Meacock
as John Laine
Shalom Brune-Franklin
as Brigitte
Tanya Moodie
as Isabella
Anna Chancellor
as Lilith
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Leo Suter
as Nicholas

Crew

More like this

What are shows like The Girlfriend?

TMDB's suggestions for shows like The Girlfriend include Tell Me Lies (2022), The Stolen Girl (2025) and The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart (2023).

Like this, but

Explore by

What other shows share a tag with The Girlfriend?

323 other shows share the rarest tag below, relationship: hunter and hunted. Each tag opens Browse with the shows that share it.